A color management system reconciles color differences
among devices so that you can be reasonably certain of the colors
your system ultimately produces. Viewing color accurately allows
you to make sound color decisions throughout your workflow, from
digital capture through final output. Color management also allows
you to create output based on ISO, SWOP, and Japan Color print production
standards.

Why colors sometimes don’t match

No device in a publishing system is capable of reproducing
the full range of colors viewable to the human eye. Each device
operates within a specific color space that can produce a certain
range, or gamut, of colors.

A color model determines the relationship between values, and
the color space defines the absolute meaning of those values as
colors. Some color models (such as CIE L*a*b) have a fixed color
space because they relate directly to the way humans perceive color.
These models are described as being device-independent. Other
color models (RGB, HSL, HSB, CMYK, and so forth) can have many different color
spaces. Because these models vary with each associated color space
or device, they are described as being device-dependent.

Because of these varying color spaces, colors can shift in appearance
as you transfer documents between different devices. Color variations
can result from differences in image sources; the way software applications
define color; print media (newsprint paper reproduces a smaller
gamut than magazine-quality paper); and other natural variations,
such as manufacturing differences in monitors or monitor age.

Color gamuts of various devices and documents

A. Lab color space B. Documents
(working space) C. Devices

What is a color management system?

Color-matching
problems result from various devices and software using different
color spaces. One solution is to have a system that interprets and
translates color accurately between devices. A color management
system (CMS) compares the color space in which a color was created
to the color space in which the same color will be output, and makes
the necessary adjustments to represent the color as consistently
as possible among different devices.

A color management system translates colors with the help of color
profiles. A profile is a mathematical description of a device’s
color space. For example, a scanner profile tells a color management
system how your scanner “sees” colors. Adobe color management uses
ICC profiles, a format defined by the International Color
Consortium (ICC) as a cross-platform standard.

Because no single color-translation method is ideal for all types
of graphics, a color management system provides a choice of rendering
intents, or translation methods, so that you can apply a
method appropriate to a particular graphics element. For example,
a color translation method that preserves correct relationships
among colors in a wildlife photograph may alter the colors in a
logo containing flat tints of color.

Note:

Don’t confuse color management with color correction. A color
management system won’t correct an image that was saved with tonal
or color balance problems. It provides an environment where you
can evaluate images reliably in the context of your final output.

Do you need color management?

Without
a color management system, your color specifications are device-dependent.
You might not need color management if your production process is tightly
controlled for one medium only. For example, you or your print service provider
can tailor CMYK images and specify color values for a known, specific
set of printing conditions.

The value of color management increases when you have more variables
in your production process. Color management is recommended if you
anticipate reusing color graphics for print and online media, using
various kinds of devices within a single medium (such as different
printing presses), or if you manage multiple workstations.

You will benefit from a color management system if you need to
accomplish any of the following:

Get predictable and consistent color output on multiple
output devices including color separations, your desktop printer,
and your monitor. Color management is especially useful for adjusting
color for devices with a relatively limited gamut, such as a four-color
process printing press.

Accurately soft-proof (preview) a color document on your
monitor by making it simulate a specific output device. (Soft-proofing
is subject to the limitations of monitor display, and other factors
such as room lighting conditions.)

Accurately evaluate and consistently incorporate color graphics
from many different sources if they also use color management, and
even in some cases if they don’t.

Send color documents to different output devices and media
without having to manually adjust colors in documents or original
graphics. This is valuable when creating images that will eventually
be used both in print and online.

Print color correctly to an unknown color output device;
for example, you could store a document online for consistently
reproducible on‑demand color printing anywhere in the world.

Creating a viewing environment
for color management

Your work environment influences how
you see color on your monitor and on printed output. For best results,
control the colors and light in your work environment by doing the
following:

View your documents in an environment that provides a
consistent light level and color temperature. For example, the color
characteristics of sunlight change throughout the day and alter
the way colors appear on your screen, so keep shades closed or work
in a windowless room. To eliminate the blue-green cast from fluorescent
lighting, you can install D50 (5000° Kelvin) lighting. You can also
view printed documents using a D50 lightbox.

View your document in a room with neutral-colored walls and
ceiling. A room’s color can affect the perception of both monitor
color and printed color. The best color for a viewing room is neutral
gray. Also, the color of your clothing reflecting off the glass
of your monitor may affect the appearance of colors on‑screen.

View document proofs in the real-world conditions under which
your audience will see the final piece. For example, you might want
to see how a housewares catalog looks under the incandescent light
bulbs used in homes, or view an office furniture catalog under the
fluorescent lighting used in offices. However, always make final
color judgements under the lighting conditions specified by the
legal requirements for contract proofs in your country.

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